Corsicana, TX

Located less than 60 miles from Dallas on Interstate 45, Corsicana has experienced relatively steady growth since the 1870s. Throughout its history, the town has proven its ability to adapt to changes in its economy, culture and population density. Whether people in Corsicana, TX need new asphalt shingles for a home, a flat roof replaced on a commercial building, a metal roof installed, a roof repaired, new siding and gutters installed, metal fabrication services or a roof inspected for hail and wind damage, they know that they can trust the experts at Alpha Roofing for quality, professional results.

Corsicana, TX | The History

Corsicana’s history began soon after Texas became the 28th state in December 1845. Settlers in the area presented a petition to the Texas Legislature for part of Robertson County to be organized as a new county. Approval was granted, and Navarro County was created in 1846. The county’s name was chosen to honor Jose Antonio Navarro, who signed both the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas and who also played an important role in the drafting of the state’s first constitution. Navarro represented Bexar County in the Republic of Texas Congress and later served in the Texas Senate. When asked to name the town that would be established as the seat of Navarro County, he suggested that it should be called Corsicana in honor of his father’s birthplace, the island of Corsica.

Land for the new town was donated by a local settler named David Mitchell, a 100-acre site was platted and a two-room log courthouse was built. As the town grew, the first courthouse was replaced with a frame building in 1853; this courthouse was replaced with a brick courthouse in 1858.

The population of Corsicana was approximately 1,200 by 1850. The Civil War and the Reconstruction hampered additional growth, but when the railroad reached Corsicana in 1871, the town began to prosper once again. The town’s population had dropped to 80 by 1870, but in 1880, almost 3,400 people made their homes in Corsicana.

In 1890, the population was almost 6,300, and the rapid growth had outpaced the city’s water supply. Civic leaders formed a company to tap a nearby artesian well, but when drilling commenced in 1894, they found a significant amount of oil instead. Until the discovery in Corsicana, every major strike had been east of the Mississippi. Corsicana’s oil field initiated the first oil boom in Texas, and by 1898, the city had a refinery — the first in Texas — capable of producing 500 barrels daily, over 60 wells inside the city limits, 49 stores, 32 doctors, 12 newspapers, three banks, eight hotels and approximately 9,300 residents. Many of the new residents worked at or supported the 287 oil wells that were known collectively as the Corsicana field.

A larger field was discovered in 1923, and although the Great Depression took a toll on the town, especially among those in the cotton industry, the oil industry mitigated much of the impact. The economy was bolstered by the discovery in 1956 of yet another field that led to approximately 500 wells being drilled within just a few months.

Today, Corsicana is home to almost 24,000 people. Its economic base has become diversified; oil remains an important part of the local economy, but major employers in other industries account for a growing share of the town’s prosperity.

Roofing Services in Corsicana

Although the oil industry remains strong, many of the town’s leading employers represent diverse industries. These include the manufacturing, health care, retail, distribution and education industries. At Alpha Roofing, we provide services to homeowners in Corsicana as well as commercial enterprises, including warehouses, office parks, hospitals, stores, apartment complexes, restaurants and schools.